Butchukoy's story : The Birth of a New Game
It was a great day for our nine year-old Butchukoy and his friends.
They were having fun playing Luksong Tinik (jump over thorns) in a street in Manila.
While playing Luksong Tinik, Butchukoy and his friends saw Tonyo coming.
"What's up, guys?!" Tonyo grinned, while pushing buttons on the remote control he was holding.
"Check this out!" - pointing to a two-feet red robot beside him.
"Awesome!", everyone exclaimed with their jaw dropping and eyes bulging.
Tonyo acting so proud, with his chin up in the air asked, "Wanna play with my new robot?"
Everybody screamed in delight. "Yeey! Yeey! Yeey! Let's go!!!" running excitedly to Tonyo.
Suddenly, THUD!
Butchukoy fell into the ground.
He didn't know what hit him, only realizing that Tonyo pushed him.
Tonyo looked down at him and with a loud voice said "Hey except for you!"
Butchukoy heard laughters. His friends were playing with the robot.
He looked back to Tonyo teary eyed.
He struggled to get up.
Nobody helped him.
Tonyo just grinned and said "You'll wreck my robot with your fat fingers! Go home, fat boy!"
And so, Butchukoy left the place crying.
Meanwhile at Butchukoy's house,
Mother Glory was preparing for lunch when she heard Father Nyoy coughed terribly as he came into the house.
Mother Glory hurriedly gave Father Nyoy a glass of water.
Father Nyoy drank the water quickly.
"Thanks, Ma. Feel much better now."
"That's a terrible cough, Pa," Mother Glory said.
Father Nyoy looked outside.
One can see some smoke coming from a nearby house.
"Must be the smoke from our neighbor who is burning his garbage outside," he said.
Mother Glory sighed. "They're only adding to the pollution."
"In our world full of gadgets, this should have been solved already." Father Nyoy said.
Mother Glory looked at her husband in bewilderment. "What did you say?"
"Ah, just reading the newspaper here," Father Nyoy showed the newspaper and smiled.
Then, his face suddenly turned serious.
"But seriously, we are the cause of pollution so we ought to do something ourselves.
I think we should all start proper waste disposal,"
Father Nyoy threw the old newspaper in a trash bin with a board saying PAPERS. "Yeah, three points!"
"And that's just one of the ways that we also teach to our son," Mother Glory smiled.
"That's right!" Father Nyoy added.
"Where is that boy anyway?" Mother Glory asked.
Both of them heard someone familiar calling out their names. The two rushed outside worriedly.
"Tatay, Nanay (Father, Mother)!" Butchukoy crying.
His parents came out of the house.
"What happened? Why are you crying?" His father asked as he knelt down and held his son.
"Tonyo, doesn't want to let me play his new robot! I want a robot too! Please! Please!" Butchukoy begged.
His parents looked at each other, their eyes full of worry. His mother spoke.
"We're sorry son, but we can't afford a robot."
Butchukoy cried louder. "Wahh, but I want one to show to my friends!"
"Listen son, we don't need to buy something just to show off.
We can enjoy life with what we have.
In fact, people don't really like those that are proud.
Don't cry now. Ok, let me teach you a new game."
Butchukoy sniffed. "A new game, father?"
"Sipa!" His father said.
"But I know you're hungry now after all that crying so let's have lunch first.
Your mother cooked your favorite - fried chicken!"
"Yeeey," and Butchukoy was no longer sad or crying.
After lunch, as they were clearing up their dishes,
Father Nyoy taught Butchukoy where he should put the food waste.
He pointed out their different trash bins - Paper, Food, Plastics/Bottles.
Butchukoy smiled because he found this idea neat.
Then, Butchukoy and his father set out to find items for Sipa - a washer and some colorful pieces of plastic.
Butchukoy was so excited.
After making the Sipa, they went outside to play.
Butchukoy was so amused seeing his father throwing the tailed washer here and there,
hitting it with his elbows or kicking it with his foot.
Butchukoy now tries to play Sipa.
It was hard at first but his father taught him patiently, until he was able to play and enjoy it.
He's now playing with it anywhere.
And after being taught about proper waste disposal by his parents,
he also makes sure that wherever he plays,
that place is clean and free from garbage.
"This is awesome!" Butchukoy said.
AND NOW, IT'S YOUR TURN TO PLAY!
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More about Butchukoy
Butchukoy is a nine year old boy.
He is the only child of Father Nyoy and Mother Glory.
They are living in a small home in Manila.
His father usually goes out to drive the jeepney owned by one of his friends,
while his mother is a housewife who never tires on taking care of them.
Butchukoy loves playing games.
After he finishes all his assignments,
he goes out to play with his friends.
Most of the time they are playing hide and seek, tag, day and night,
skip rope, tumbang preso (hit the can), harangang taga (three nights),
piko (hopscotch) and before SIPA is introduced to him by his father,
luksong tinik (jump over thorns) was his most favorite game.
Sipa was introduced to Butchukoy by his father after Tonyo bullied him.
It is a simple game that requires alertness to keep the washer or ball of rubber afloat using only the gamer's foot and elbow.
Butchukoy loves it so much that he plays it everywhere.
Being thought of proper waste disposal by his parents,
Butchukoy always makes sure that wherever he goes,
he picks up any pieces of garbage in the way and put it in a nearby bin or into his pocket.
